Summer Camps

Media Information

Fort Collins - Colorado State University rallied from a 12-point second half deficit to lead, but couldn't hold on, losing 80-72 to UNLV in men's Mountain West Conference basketball action Saturday afternoon.

UNLV, which made 8-of-12 shots behind the three-point line, led 49-37 with 15 minutes, 39 seconds to play in the game on Louis Amundson's jumper.

But eight minutes later, Freddy Robinson's three-point play tied the game at 60, climaxing a 23-11 Rams' run. Robinson, who scored all 14 of his points in the second half, knotted the score on a driving layin and was fouled, making the free throw to tie the score.

CSU took it's final lead of the game two minutes later on Michael Harrison's tip-in, giving CSU a 64-63 lead. Just 20 seconds later, Wink Adams put UNLV ahead with a three-pointer, 65-64. CSU would tie the game twice more, including at 72 with just more than a minute to play on Jason Smith's short jumper.

Colorado State had one more chance, trailing by two, 74-72, with under a minute to play but Smith missed a six-foot jumper, and UNLV concluded the game by making six more free throws. CSU would not score again, as UNLV scored the game's final eight points.

"It was a disheartening loss," said Rams' Coach Dale Layer. "I thought we played terrific in the second half."

UNLV stretched its lead to as many as 11 in the first half, holding Colorado State without a field goal the final 4 minutes, 57 seconds of the half. CSU's only points over that span were six free throws. The Rebels led, 39-31 at the half, but the Rams scored the first six points of the final half to cut the lead to four, 39-35 on Jason Smith's jumper with 18 minutes, 15 seconds to play.

UNLV would later widen the lead to 12 before CSU staged a comeback. The game featured 12 lead changes and six ties before the Rebels won by eight.

The final decision marred an impressive performance by Smith, who finished with a game-most 24 points, along with a game-high 12 rebounds. Harrison finished with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Robinson added 14 points. UNLV was led by Amundson's 22 points, while Adams finished with 21, and forward Curtis Terry added 11.

Colorado State suffered through its worst shooting night of the year behind the three-point line. The Rams made only 2-of-13 treys, 15.4 percent, and converted only one shot in each half.

"We did not make enough shots," said Layer. "We got some open shots, but didn't knock them down. I thought the game was won at the three-point arc."

UNLV, by contrast, made 8-of-12 shots behind the line, 67 percent, the highest by a Rams' opponent in 2006.

Colorado State falls to 13-12, 2-10 in the MWC, while UNLV is 14-10, 8-4.

The Rams are back in action in Moby Arena Wednesday night, Feb. 22, playing host to TCU. Game time is 7 p.m. Tickets are available by calling 1-800-491-RAMS, or on line at CSURAMS.com. Tickets are also available at all King Soopers and City Market grocery store locations throughout the state of Colorado.